MOSCOW — Mention words like `style' or `elegance' in Russia, and the name Alexandre Vassiliev will come up. He's written 27 books, hosts a daily TV talk show watched by some 40 million viewers and owns one of the world's largest private couture collections.

He's an artist; but also a prestigious set and costume designer who's set new fashion standards for post- communist Russia and, in the process, become a national hero. We met him for tea in Moscow, where he discussed his upcoming exhibition `Art Déco in Fashion' launching at the Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga next month.

The man is so constantly assailed by fans seeking autographs that he carries a supply of postcards featuring pre-October Revolution Russian beauties wherever he goes, ready to whip them out and sign his name at every minute. So whilst wielding a fat fountain-pen, he shared his raspberry mousse cake with us and chatted about Russian women, seduction and Moscow's next fashion generation.

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ELLE: How did you get into fashion?

Vassiliev: My deep relations with fashion started in Paris in 1980s, when I was appointed head of The Fashion History course at French Esmod fashion school, the biggest and the best in those years in Paris. The historical side of fashion was very attractive to me even earlier, when I was a teenager in Moscow, working for the costume departments in various Russian theater companies.

ELLE: You have one of the world's largest private vintage fashion collection — what do you have exactly, and how did you acquire it?

Vassiliev: My collection of historical fashion consists of about 10,000 pieces — dresses and accessories, from 18th century to today. The main focus was initially Russian fashion, but now I have extended it to the whole European continent. Lots of French Haute Couture, of course! And I was lucky – my collection has traveled the world and parts of it were exhibited in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney, Santiago, Istanbul, Moscow, St Petersburg, Riga, Vilnius, Antwerp, London and of course, Paris. It even was on show at the Paris Museum of Fashion, the Musée Galliera. The collection started with donations and then of course grew through flea markets and antique dealers. Now I'm constantly buying new items at the American, — mostly from the former fashion collection of the Brooklyn museum — London, and Paris auctions.

ELLE: You wrote many books, do you consider yourself first and foremost a fashion historian?

Vassiliev: Yes, I have done 27 books on the fashion history in Russia, and only one – "Beauty in Exile" was republished in USA, by Abraams in NYC, 2000. So there is a huge demand in those kind of literature, especially when they're focused on Russian subjects and well illustrated. There's a huge and hungry market for the books on style and fashion in Russia, though the books should be done in Russian, not English since there are few readers who've master foreign languages well enough to buy foreign editions. My last book was called "Russian Hollywood" and it is focused on the destinies of Russian actors in the US film industry through the 20th century, like Nazimova, Baclanova, Sten, Toumanova, Brynner, Tamiroff, Lebedeff and many, many more. I'd like to find an American editor!

ELLE: How would you sum up Russian fashion today? What are women drawn to, and is there a new generation of exciting young designers?

Vassiliev: Yes, a new generation of Russian designers has appeared. The main names conquering Moscow are Alena Akhmadullina, Igor Chapurin, Kirill Gassiline, Nina & Donis to name a few. Though the "nouveau riche" costumers are still more keen on brands like D&G, Cavalli and Versace because they're so recognizable and flashy. Russia's 62% of women and only 38% men, many of whom are heavy drinkers, so the battle for the female happiness is a rude one, only the slimmest, the leggiest, the blondest and the sexiest are the winners..

ELLE: And what about your upcoming exhibition `Art Deco in Fashion'?

Vassiliev: It opens August 4th, at the National Museum of Applied Art in Riga, Latvia and it'll exhibit lots of my couture dresses from Lanvin, Patou, Callot, Kitmir, Vionnet, Schiaparelli and others form an era of great style and glamour. The embroidery, appliqués, lace, and bias cuts are so special. And there's actually another show of mine on right now: Fashion of the Victorian era through December, 31 in Vilnius, Lithuania, at the National Decorative Art Museum. But the most curious show of my collection is now in Murmansk, a Russian port behind the Polar circle at the Fine Arts Museum and it's called "The Secrets of the Hat Box." It features one hundred hats from the 18th to 20 century. You see, a lot of things are on!